Hearing continues for suspect in January murder

Monday

Jul 7, 2014 at 5:16 PMJul 7, 2014 at 5:16 PM

By Jim.Hayden@hollandsentinel.com(616) 546-4274

More details prosecutors say link Maryann Leal Castorena to the murder of her ex-boyfriend are expected to be revealed in court Wednesday as Castorena’s preliminary exam continues in Holland District Court.The hearing to determine whether enough evidence exists to send a case to trial resumes at 9 a.m. in front of Judge Bradley Knoll.Castorena, 40, of Park Township, and Anthony Alfredo Delagarza, 19, of Holland, were charged with open murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the death of Jose Patricio Hernandez in early January.Both remain in the Ottawa County Jail.Delagarza waived his preliminary exam last month in district court and in Ottawa County Circuit Court. He plans to plead guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder and testify against Castorena. Any sentencing for Delagarza will be delayed until after the trial of Castorena.Hernandez was killed Jan. 5 outside his Park Township home. His body was found Jan. 6 at the Amberwood Apartments next to his running vehicle near his apartment in the 1100 block of Ambertrace Drive. He died of multiple blunt-force traumas to the head.In the June 25 hearing, Ottawa County Prosecutor Ronald Frantz produced a letter found in Castorena’s sister’s home where Castorena was staying at the time of the murder. The letter spells out how someone could commit the murder, investigators said.An Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office detective testified Castorena had several explanations for the note, first saying it was notes for a book, then that it was part of an overheard conversation between two unknown women. She also said Delagarza forced her to write the letter by threatening to kill her two sons and lastly, that an unknown man got into her apartment, grabbed her around the neck and told her to write the note.The detective also said Castorena claimed Delagarza killed Hernandez.Delagarza stayed with Castorena and Hernandez in summer 2013.The motive for the killing, police say, was a $1.5 million life insurance policy that named Castorena as a beneficiary. Castorena once worked at the Farm Bureau Insurance in Holland where Hernandez got the policy. She has a $750,000 policy for herself, her attorney said.— Follow Jim Hayden on Twitter@SentinelJim.